Native range: "Native to Africa and Malesia, now widely naturalized in the Pacific Basin and Central and South America" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1173-1174). "Now a pantropical weedy plant, but probably of American origin and an early introduction into the Old World tropics, where it gives the appearance of being indigenous in parts of Africa, Indian Ocean islands, southeastern Asia, and Malesia" (Smith, 1988; p. 373).